Deck 2: Before You Write

Question 1

Because newer and increasingly popular technologies such as instant messaging and texting strongly encourage writers to keep messages short, the text recommends that we use the kind of casual, abbreviated language we would use in a text message to a friend.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The three-phase writing process outlined in the text places organizing your message in the second (writing) phase.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The definition given in the text of an empathetic writer is one who strives to write messages that exclude rather than include individuals.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The text states that in order to emphasize the benefit of a business message for the reader, we need to eliminate all first-person pronouns such as I, my, we, and us.

Question 5

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You begin by trying to estimate roughly how long you will need to spend on each phase of your portion of the report. According to the text, which of the following should you allow the most time for?

A)researching, organizing, and composing the report
B)anticipating and profiling the audience for the report
C)selecting the best channel for the report
D)revising, proofreading, and evaluating the report

Question 6

Readers are more impressed by longer messages with a formal tone, even for simple, routine messages.

Question 7

Business e-mails are less formal than traditional letters or memos, so planning and organization are less important.

Question 8

According to the text, anticipating how an audience will react to your message happens mostly in the prewriting phase.

Question 9

The text says that instant messaging has replaced e-mail as the channel of choice in some organizations, but that e-mail is still the most widely used channel.

Question 10

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
Hans has written the following message for the regional manager as a cover letter to the report you both have completed: Pursuant to your request, we have fulfilled the task of completing the sales report. According to the text, what is the main issue with this statement?

A)It is too sender focused.
B)It employs the "I/We" view.
C)It is unprofessional.
D)It is too formal.

Question 11

The ability to prepare concise, audience-centred, professional, and purposeful messages comes naturally to most people.

Question 12

The text recommends replacing a command with a rhetorical question as one way to make a business message more courteous.

Question 13

You are more likely to achieve your communication goals if you profile your audience before writing.

Question 14

Business writing should be audience-oriented, purposeful, and as long as possible.

Question 15

The text says that you should anticipate and profile the audience for your message, including a possible secondary audience.

Question 16

The text cites business writer Don Tapscott, who says that business writers frequently choose instant messaging as a channel because it allows for a faster response.

Question 17

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You have been asked to replace the note in the office kitchen asking employees to place their dishes in the dishwasher when they have finished using them. Which of the following notes employs the most effective, bias-free language?

A)Each employee should place his or her dishes in the dishwasher when he or she is done using them.
B)Each employee should place his dishes in the dishwasher when he is done using them.
C)Each employee should place their dishes in the dishwasher when they are done using them.
D)Employees should place their dishes in the dishwasher when they are done using them.

Question 18

The most effective messages focus on the needs of the writer.

Question 19

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
Which of the following sentences illustrates effective business writing, as described in the text?

A)We can sell you a wireless phone that we are very proud of.
B)Our company is proud to have you as one of our customers.
C)We ask that you send our signed signature card back to us immediately.
D)You will be pleased to know that your premiums will decrease by 10 percent next year.

Question 20

According to the text, it isn't necessary to plan and organize most business messages, because they will normally be fairly short and informal.

Question 21

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You made a decision to send an e-mail message to Hans and your boss rather than phoning them because you wanted the message to be slightly more formal and permanent than a phone call. Which stage of the writing process described in the text were you engaged in when you made this decision?

A)profiling the audience
B)analyzing the audience
C)identifying your purpose
D)selecting the appropriate channel

Question 22

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
After you have finished the first draft of your section of the report, you revise it, shortening some sentences and paragraphs and adding tables, bullets, and numbered lists to communicate some of the information more clearly and concisely. Which of the following characteristics, according to the text, will likely describe your message after you make these changes?

A)It will be more purposeful.
B)It will be more economical.
C)It will be more professional.
D)It will be more audience-oriented.

Question 23

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You are manager of human resources for a local branch of Staples, and you have volunteered to organize a retirement party for one of your colleagues. According to the theory of media richness described in the text, which of the following will likely be the richest channel that you could choose to communicate the details of the party to your staff, and ask to receive an RSVP?

A)a document posted on the human resources page of the Staples Web site
B)an e-mail to all staff
C)a meeting for all staff before the store opens
D)an announcement posted on the bulletin board in the staff lunch room

Question 24

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
When a writer uses adaptive techniques, such as highlighting reader benefits and using inclusive language, which aspect of the message does the text say the writer is improving?

A)the tone
B)the length
C)the "you" attitude
D)reader comprehension

Question 25

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
As human resources manager for Staples, you must tell an employee that his position is being terminated. What is the best communication channel for this message?

A)telephone call
B)text message
C)e-mail
D)in-person meeting

Question 26

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You notice that you need to revise several sentences in your e-mail that may offend either Hans or your boss. Which of the following sentences, according to the information in the text, should you probably reword, when you consider using only courteous language?

A)You have to send me your portion of the report by tomorrow.
B)I won't have time to finish the report if I don't have your portion by tomorrow.
C)Pertaining to your portion of the report, please forward it to me without delay.
D)You have neglected to send me your portion of the report as we agreed.

Question 27

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
Eric, the general manager at Parelli's Gym, has asked you to research and prepare a report on the previous year's personal training policies by Monday. He told you that he anticipates the project will take you approximately four hours to complete. Since you have a limited amount of time to write the report, you decide to schedule the writing process ahead of time. Which of the following schedules reflects the writing process described in the text?

A)Spend 1 hour prewriting, 1 hour writing, and 2 hours revising.
B)Spend half an hour prewriting, 1 hour writing, and 3 and a half hours revising.
C)Spending half an hour prewriting, 3 hours writing, and half an hour revising.
D)Spend an hour and a half prewriting, an hour and a half writing, and 1 hour revising.

Question 28

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
According to the three-phase writing process described in the text, which of the following activities would you perform in the prewriting phase?

A)Collect enough information to compose the message.
B)Describe a problem, present your evidence, and end with a solution.
C)Anticipate audience reaction to the message.
D)Evaluate the entire message.

Question 29

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
Which of the following statements sums up the advice given in the text about the appropriate language to use in most business messages?

A)Because businesses are about topics that would otherwise be part of a conversation, we should use the same slang and informal diction that we would use in a text message to a friend.
B)We should use natural, mid-level diction.
C)We should use indirect, ambiguous language so that the reader can interpret the message to suit him/herself.
D)We should use elevated diction that will impress the reader with our educated vocabulary.

Question 30

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
When you arrived at work this morning, you checked your calendar. It showed that, as well as your bicycle report, you have several other tasks to complete in the next few days. According to the text, which of the following messages will likely require that you spend the greatest amount of time profiling your audience?

A)You need to prepare an article on bike maintenance and post it to your company's Web page.
B)You need to write an email to a sales representative for Diamondback bikes, with whom you have worked closely for several years, asking him to send some more brochures for display in your stores.
C)You need to fill in and submit an online form to your human resources department to book two weeks of the holidays you have earned.
D)You need to telephone a co-worker to find out if she has registered for an upcoming trade show that you will be attending.

Question 31

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
A colleague asks you to read and comment on the first draft of a letter that she is sending to a client. You come to a sentence that reads as follows: Pursuant to the request you indicated in your letter of March 14, I will expedite the mailing of the information forthwith. You suggest that she should revise this sentence. What kind of language has your colleague used?

A)unprofessional
B)conversational
C)pretentious
D)slang

Question 32

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You re-read the first draft of your report carefully, checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. According to the writing process described in the text, what are you doing at this point?

A)anticipating how your boss will receive your message
B)deciding on the purpose of your report
C)collecting the information about the various bicycles that you need to include
D)proofreading your report

Question 33

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
Which adaptive technique should you use to avoid stereotypes in your writing?

A)Use inclusive language.
B)Develop the "you" view.
C)Highlight reader benefits.
D)Follow the traditional grammatical rule called "common gender."

Question 34

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
Which of the following sentences best represents effective business writing, as discussed in the text?

A)Your order will be shipped on June 30.
B)Your order cannot be delivered until June 30.
C)We regret that we must reject your loan application.
D)You will not be sorry that you purchased your computer from us.

Question 35

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
It is now three days before you and Hans have to submit the report to your manager. You have finished your section, but you have received nothing from Hans. You decide to send Hans an e-mail asking him when you will get his work. You copy the message to your manager. What is the most likely secondary purpose of your message?

A)to present a revised work schedule
B)to let your boss know that Hans hasn't done what he promised
C)to find out when you can expect Hans's part of the report
D)to find out what difficulties Hans is having with his portion of the project

Question 36

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You and Hans finish your report on time and your boss is happy with the results. He asks you to discuss some of your recommendations with the senior-level managers so that they can provide their feedback. Which will most likely be the communication channel you will select now?

A)letter
B)e-mail
C)report
D)in-person meeting

Question 37

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
According to the text, which of the following will likely improve the clarity and tone of a message?

A)using lots of adverbs
B)using positive rather than negative language
C)incorporating the latest slang into your message
D)including words that will impress your reader, such as hereinafter and theretofore

Question 38

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You have been asked to contact an overseas supplier. According to the text, which of the following channels would be the most cost-efficient?

A)fax
B)e-mail
C)phone call
D)face-to-face meeting

Question 39

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
According to the text, what does it mean to be "purposeful" when you write?

A)You are able to view your message from the reader's perspective.
B)You do your best to entertain your audience.
C)You write to convey information to your reader.
D)You use professional language.

Question 40

Sport Chek
You work as a buyer for Sport Chek at its head office in Toronto. The regional manager, your boss, has asked you to collaborate with Hans, a co-worker in Sport Chek's Winnipeg office, to write a report comparing the costs, retail prices, features, customer reviews, sales histories, and other data of the various bicycles that Sport Chek sells. You and Hans agree to work on different sections of the report and then combine the two sections. Hans agrees to get his portion to you a week before the manager has asked for the completed report.
You work in the business office of Parelli's Gym, a popular fitness centre. You receive an irate letter from a customer demanding that you cancel his two-year contract because, shortly after he joined, he used a piece of equipment that caused a knee injury. Which of the following sentences best demonstrates what the text calls a courteous tone?

A)There's nothing we can do to cancel your membership now.You should have asked us to do so within the 14 days allowed according to the contract.
B)We at Parelli's Gym would lose too much money if we allowed customers to back out on their signed contracts.
C)You must honour your signed agreement with Parelli's Gym.
D)Although the cancellation period has passed, if you come in to the gym, one of our certified fitness consultants will be pleased to develop an individualized workout plan that will increase your fitness and will rehabilitate and strengthen your knees.

Question 41

You are re-reading an e-mail you have written, evaluating the message's clarity and conciseness and your choice of words. You are in the ___________ phase of the writing process outlined in the text.

Question 42

During the _____________ phase of the writing process, the writer will research, organize, and compose the message.

Question 43

Emphasizing a person's age in a message when it is not necessary might be seen as _______________.

Question 44

Emphasizing second-person pronouns (you, your) means that the writer is using the ___________ view.

Question 45

An example of _____________ language would be to write consultants will use their knowledge to help marketing teams rather than a consultant will use his knowledge to help the marketing team.

Question 46

The text calls trying to view a message from the receiver's perspective rather than your own being _____________.

Question 47

____________ your audience before writing helps you adapt the language and tone of the message.

Question 48

____________ has become the communication channel of choice for corporate communicators.

Question 49

Even if we have to deliver a negative message, using _________________ language will be better received by the reader.

Question 50

Emphasizing _______ _________ (two words) can help readers see how the message affects them personally.